Disaggregating by Race/Ethnicity

Overview

This section uses results from the #RealCollegeCA survey to examine how Fullerton College students experience food insecurity, housing insecurity, and homelessness, with a focus on racial and ethnic disparities.

Across all basic needs domains in 2025, notable disparities emerge across racial and ethnic groups. Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, Middle Eastern/North African, and Other Race/Ethnicity students experience the highest levels of basic needs insecurity overall, consistently reporting elevated rates of food insecurity, housing insecurity, and homelessness. Black/African American students also show high levels across multiple measures, often exceeding the campuswide averages.

Hispanic/Latina/o/x and Other Asian students typically fall near the institutional averages, with moderate levels of food and housing insecurity and lower—though still meaningful—rates of homelessness. American Indian/Alaska Native, Southeast Asian, White, and East Asian students generally report rates below the campuswide averages across most indicators, though some groups show isolated areas of need. South Asian students consistently report the lowest levels of basic needs insecurity.

Overall, basic needs insecurity is most pronounced among Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, Middle Eastern/North African, Other, and Black/African American students, while several Asian subgroups and White students tend to fall below the campuswide rates across most domains.

About the Students

Race and ethnicity data were collected using checkboxes, allowing students to identify with multiple groups simultaneously rather than choosing a single category. As a result, percentages across groups can exceed 100%, and each race/ethnicity is analyzed independently.

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity in 2025 varies substantially across racial/ethnic groups when compared to the campuswide average of 40%.

• Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian (65%) and Middle Eastern/North African (63%) students report the highest levels, far exceeding the institutional average.
  
• Other Race/Ethnicity (57%) and Black/African American (49%) students also experience elevated rates of food insecurity.
  
• Hispanic/Latina/o/x (43%) and Other Asian (43%) students fall slightly above the campuswide rate.
  
• Southeast Asian (40%) students match the institutional average.
  
• White (38%), American Indian/Alaska Native (32%), East Asian (28%), and South Asian (22%) students report food insecurity at levels below the overall rate.

Overall, food insecurity is highest among Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian and Middle Eastern/North African students, while several groups fall at or below the institutional average.

Housing Insecurity

As with food insecurity, housing insecurity in 2025 varies across racial/ethnic groups when compared to the campuswide average of 54%. It also follows a similar pattern as with food insecurity.

• Other Race/Ethnicity students report the highest level (81%), significantly exceeding the institutional average.
  
• Middle Eastern/North African (65%), Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian (65%), and Black/African American (61%) students also experience housing insecurity at substantially elevated levels.
  
• Hispanic/Latina/o/x students (60%) fall slightly above the overall rate.
  
• Southeast Asian (52%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (51%) students are just below the institutional average.
  
• Other Asian (50%), White (46%), East Asian (39%), and South Asian (28%) students report housing insecurity at levels below the overall rate.

Overall, housing insecurity is highest among Other, Middle Eastern/North African, Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, and Black/African American students, while several other groups fall at or below the campuswide average.

Homelessness

Patterns for homelessness differed somewhat from those observed for food and housing insecurity.

• Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian students report the highest level (65%), far exceeding the institutional average.
  
• Black/African American (32%) and Other Race/Ethnicity (32%) students also experience homelessness at substantially elevated levels.
  
• American Indian/Alaska Native (24%) and Southeast Asian (21%) students fall above the overall rate, though at more moderate levels.
  
• Middle Eastern/North African (19%) and White (18%) students are at or near the campuswide average.
  
• Hispanic/Latina/o/x (16%), East Asian (12%), Other Asian (7%), and South Asian (6%) students report homelessness at levels below the institutional rate.

Overall, homelessness is most elevated among Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian students, with several groups moderately above the campuswide average and others well below it.

At Least One Insecurity

Rates of students experiencing at least one basic needs insecurity in 2025 varies across racial/ethnic groups when compared to the campuswide average of 62%.

• Other Race/Ethnicity students report the highest level (87%), well above the institutional average.
  
• Middle Eastern/North African (77%) and Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian (71%) students also experience substantially elevated rates of basic needs insecurity.
  
• Black/African American (68%) and Hispanic/Latina/o/x (68%) students fall above the overall rate.
  
• Other Asian (64%) students are just slightly above the institutional average.
  
• American Indian/Alaska Native (57%), Southeast Asian (56%), White (55%), and East Asian (51%) students fall below the campuswide rate.
  
• South Asian students (33%) report the lowest level of basic needs insecurity.

Overall, basic needs insecurity is highest among Other, Middle Eastern/North African, and Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian students, while several groups fall below the institutional average.

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